Pocket Guide to Materials

Meagen Farrell Howe

Farrell Ink

Brought to you by the Sandra Sullivan Learning for Life Program of the
West Side Catholic Center
 Cover Photo “tag cloud base on Moleskin Pocket” by flickr user
taiyofj, Creative Commons Copyright.

© 2010 Farrell Ink LLC

This publication (excerpt from Sullivan Learning for Life
Program: Program Management Procedures) may be
reproduced for educational, non-commercial purposes if you
attribute the Sandra Sullivan Learning for Life Program.

“Pocket Guide to Materials” is a free resource thanks to the

support of the Sandra Sullivan Learning for Life Program of the
West Side Catholic Center. To support our ongoing work, please
make a tax deductible donation to:
West Side Catholic Center
Memo: Sullivan Learning for Life Program
3135 Lorain Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113
HelpCleveland.org
Susan Ertle, Director of Development
sertle@wsccenter.org
216.631.4741 x132

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Introduction
This guide is designed for use with the Learning for Life Starter
Kit, specifically the training “Assigning Materials Based on TABE
9/10 Survey”. The Learning for Life Starter Kit was provided to
six adult basic education & GED programs in Cleveland, Ohio
thanks to the Sandra Sullivan Learning for Life Program of the
West Side Catholic Center. For more information about the
Starter Kit or how to use the materials in this guide, please see
our FREE publications & the trainings at Scribd.com/farrellink

Put it in Your Pocket

1. Print this document as a double-sided Booklet, 2 pages per
page.
2. Fold it in half.
3. Open as needed.

Order Materials
For information on how to order the materials listed here,
please see “Learning for Life Starter Kit Purchasing List” included
in the Program Management Procedures or available separately
at Scribd.com/farrellink.

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 TABE Assessment
The Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) assesses a student’s
performance in reading and mathematics. It is used during
orientation and as a post test to document progress. For
instructional purposes, scores are translated into a grade
equivalent (GE), which can also correlate to a National
Reporting Standard (NRS) level. Two GE equals one NRS level
which can be documented as either a number (1) or a name
(Beginning Literacy).
TABE Grade NRS Level
Equivalent (GE)
0-1.9 1 Beginning Literacy
2.0-3.9 2 Beginning Adult Basic
4.0-5.9 3 Low Intermediate
6.0-7.9 4 High Intermediate
8.0-9.9 5 Low Adult Secondary
10.0-11.9 6 High Adult Secondary

GED Readiness is GE 10.9+ or master NRS level 5.

College Readiness is GE 12.9+ or master level 6.
Why GE and NRS? Both systems can guide instruction. Most
adult education materials are correlated to a grade equivalent,
but some are written for NRS level. TABE, GED, or other NRS-
linked assessments are the only “formal assessments” to track
student progress for government funding purposes.

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Individualized Learning Plan
An Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) is a document to
communicate between students, tutors, and site managers.

 Students are responsible for setting goals.

 Site managers are responsible for finding appropriate
materials or developing activities.
 Tutors are responsible for introducing concepts and
materials, and reviewing student work.
The parts of the ILP:
Contact Information: For student retention & emergencies.
Test Scores: Document student official scores on TABE or GED.
Primary & Secondary Goals: What the student hopes to achieve
through education or training.
Short Term Goal: This is an achievable educational goal based
on skills or standards, like “Pass Written Driver’s Test.”
Activities: These can be standard materials but are more often
used for individualized projects. Each should end with an
informal assessment. Example: “Take Practice Driver’s Test.”

To create a student folder, combine the ILP with:

Assignment Sheet: Form to document student daily activities,
notes on performance, and informal assessment scores.

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 Assign Materials Based on TABE
At the end of student orientation, each new student should
leave with homework. To do this quickly, each classroom should
have a standard first assignment for both reading and math at
each level. Based on the Starter Kit, we suggest:

Reading
GE Book 1st Assignment
0-0.9 Laubach 1 Lesson 1 with tutor
1-1.9 Laubach 2 Lesson 1 with tutor
2-2.9 Challenger 2 Lesson 1
3-3.9 Challenger 3 Lesson 1
4-4.9 Challenger 4 Lesson 1
5-6.5 Challenger 5 Lesson 1
6.5-7.5 Challenger 6 Lesson 1
6.5-8.9 Pre-GED Pre-test
Reading
9.0-10.9 GED Reading Pre-test
10-12.9 TABE Level A Reading Test

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Math
Math interacts with reading level. Use TABE Profile or a quick
math diagnostic to find subject. MSFTW is Math Skills for the
Workforce:

Reading Math Book Section

GE Subject
0-3.9 Add, Sub, MSFTW: Skip word
Mult or Div Whole #s problems
4+ Add, Sub, MSFTW: Whole section
Mult or Div Whole #s
4+ Fractions MSFTW:
Fractions
4-6.9 Decimals & MSFTW: Dec &
% %
4-6.9 Integers, Alg WSFTW: Alg &
Geom
7-8.9 Dec, %, Alg + Pre-GED Math Pre-test

9-10.9 Dec, %, Alg + GED Math Pre-test

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 Other Subjects
The 3 other subjects on the GED test are Science (Sci), Social
Studies (SS) & Language Arts, Writing (LAW).
Reading Subjects Book 1st Assignment
GE
1-4.9 LAW Writing for Lesson 1
Challenger
5-6.9 Sci, SS, LAW Breakthroughs Pre-test
7-8.9 Sci, SS, LAW Pre-GED Pre-test
9-10.9 Sci, SS, LAW GED Pre-test
11-12.9 LAW College LearningExpress Writing
Prep Library Practice

Students may request to study other subjects if they have goals

other than passing the GED. If you have access to
LearningExpress Library with your library card, then use their
skill building activities & practice tests.

Instructional Materials
One page summary of each series of instructional materials,
printed & online.

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Laubach Way to Reading
Subjects Reading & Writing
Abbreviation Laubach WTR
Reading Levels WTR 1 0-1
WTR 2 2
WTR 3 2-3
WTR 4 3-4
Ideal Student Low level or non-reader, attends
regularly, works well with tutor
Classroom Use Read Teacher’s Manual first. Tutor
reads letter or word out loud,
student repeats. Activities
reinforce letters or words.
Advice from the Field Don’t do more than one lesson per
class! Find or create lots of
alternate activities to reinforce
new knowledge. Appropriate
homework is difficult to find.
Informal Assessments Checkup (after each book)
Target skills Connecting letters and words to
sounds through association
Commonly confused with Laubach Way to English

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 Challenger 2nd Edition
Subjects Reading
Abbreviation Chall
Reading Levels Chall 1 1.0-2.0
Chall 2 2.0-3.0
Chall 3 3.0-4.5
Chall 4 4.0-5.0
Chall 5 5.0-6.5
Chall 6 6.5-7.5
Chall 7 7.5-8.5
Chall 8 8.5+
Ideal Student Intermediate reader who can work
independently or ask for help
when needed.
Classroom Use Tutor introduces lesson activities
and skills taught. Student
completes independently or with
help. Tutor checks and reviews.
Advice from the Field Great for students who can use a
dictionary and do homework.
Informal Assessments Cumulative reviews every 4-5
lessons.
Target skills Comprehension, vocabulary,
alphabetics, thinking skills.

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Challenger 2nd Edition Writing
Subjects Writing
Abbreviation Chall Wr
For Use With Challenger Reading series
Classroom Use Give writing lesson along with
reading lesson. Tutor checks for:
appropriate level spelling &
grammar, critical thinking skills,
organization.
Advice from the Field To decide what skills to introduce
or check, use the list in the back of
each book: “Some Rules to Help
You Avoid Common Problems in
Writing”.
Informal Assessments Final book review
Target skills Writing mechanics & composition
skills from basic sentences to
essays.
FREE STUFF Download the Challenger
Placement Tool & Puzzle Books for
additional assessment and
practice: NewReadersPress.com >
Reading and Writing > Challenger

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 Contemporary’s Pre-GED Satellite
Subjects All 5 GED subjects
Abbreviation Pre-GED Subject:
Language Arts Reading (LAR)
Science (Sci), Social Studies (SS)
Language Arts Writing (LAW)
Reading Levels 7-8.9
Ideal Student Good reading comprehension skills
but needs work on critical thinking
& specific subjects.
Classroom Use Give pre-test to determine which
chapters to give. 70% on pre or
post test is passing, use writing
rubric for LAW.
Advice from the Field Make sure students complete
writing exercises for best results.
Follows similar format as GED
books with simpler explanations
and vocabulary.
Informal Assessments Pre & post test, chapter reviews
Target skills Comprehension, Application,
Analysis, Evaluation + content
knowledge
Commonly confused with GED Satellite

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Contemporary’s GED Satellite
Subjects All 5 GED Subjects
Abbreviation GED Subject:
Language Arts Reading (LAR)
Science (Sci), Social Studies (SS)
Language Arts Writing (LAW)
Reading Levels 9.0-10.9
Ideal Student High level reader, just needs some
targeted review
Classroom Use Give pre-test to decide which
chapters to assign. 70% passing in
LAR &LAW, use writing rubric for
LAW, 64% for Sci & SS.
Advice from the Field Some students absorb more from
Pre-GED & Breakthroughs in some
Sci & SS subjects, esp. US History,
Chemistry & Physics.
Informal Assessments Pre & post test, chapter review
Target skills Comprehension, Application,
Analysis, Evaluation + content
knowledge
Commonly confused with Pre-GED Satellite

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 McGraw Hill Online Learning Center
Subjects All 5 GED Subjects
Websites GEDWriting.com
GEDReading.com
GEDMath.com
GEDScience.com
GEDSocialStudies.com
GEDPractice.com (SteckVaughn)
Appropriate Book Series Contemporary’s GED
Navigation Go to website. Click Student
Center. Select a chapter from list.
Links to resources are on the left
side of the webpage. Student can
email results from reviews &
practice tests to instructor.
Advice from the Field Have student complete book
chapter first. Go online to practice
with flashcards, find additional
reading, or take quizzes. Some
subjects (like Writing) have extra
resources.
Resources Student Center: Chapter overview,
outline & review, Interactive
flashcards, GED practice, Web
links. Instructor Center: Test info
& correlations, tips, Powerpoints

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Breakthroughs
Subjects Critical Reading, Science, Social
Studies, Writing & Language, Math
Abbreviation BT Subject
Reading Levels 5-6.9
Ideal Student Intermediate or high level reader.
Great for students who are not
ready for or not learning from Pre-
GED & GED.
Classroom Use Give pre-test to determine which
chapters to give. 80% on pre or
post test is passing.
Advice from the Field Esp. good chapters on poetry,
grammar, chemistry, & physics.
Informal Assessments Pre-test, chapter review,
post-test. 80% is passing.
Target skills Comprehension, Application,
Analysis, Evaluation + content
knowledge

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 Math Skills for the Workforce
Subjects Whole Numbers, Fractions,
Decimals & Percents, Algebra &
Geometry
Abbreviation MSFTW
Reading Levels 4-6
Ideal Student Intermediate reader with workforce
goals that require real life math
Classroom Use Tutor introduces skill, student
practices, tutor checks. For lower
level students, skip word problems
& large #s.
Advice from the Field Find real life materials to make
word problems concrete. May need
additional work in graphs &
calculator before GED test.
Informal Assessments Section reviews, Book review
Target skills Math mechanics, problem solving,
application

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GED Connection Videos
Subjects All 5 GED Subjects
Website OLN.FastForwardoh.com
Appropriate Book Series Contemporary’s Pre-GED or GED,
Breakthroughs. Designed for GED
Connect series by PBS.
Navigation Go to website. Click GED
Connection, Pre-GED Connection or
Workplace Essential Skills. List of
videos with summaries will appear.
Tutorial “Orientation” video in each series
Classroom Use “Passing the x test” is a great
introduction to each GED subject.
Videos can provide instruction or
extra practice.
Advice from the Field Use headphones, pencil & paper.
Each video is about 30 minutes.
Resources 90 videos with instruction,
interviews, & practice problems

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 LearningExpress Library
Subjects College Prep, Computer Skills, GED
Prep, Job Search & Workplace Skills, Job
& Careers, Skill Building for Adults, U.S.
Citizenship
Website www.LearnATest.com/LEL/index.html
Navigation 1st registration from OLN:
www.OhioLiteracyNetwork.org/learningtools1.html
Click Learning Express Library, click
Register, create name & password.
Log in to website above. Click on a
subject on left side of page. Select a
course or test and click Enroll to start.
Tutorial www.LearningExpressLLC.com/
demos/LEL_flash_demo/index.html
Classroom Use Great for job/college prep in addition to
GED. Find appropriate course for
current work or long term goals.
Student can use independently or with
a tutor.
Advice from the Field Start a student in class so they can
continue studying from home or library.
Remember to log out at the end &
document practice test scores.
Resources Practice tests, skill building modules,
eBooks, instant essay scoring

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TV411
Subjects Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, Math,
Learning
Reading Level 4-8
Website TV411.org
Appropriate Book Series Challenger, Breakthroughs.
Designed for TV411 materials by KET
& ALMA.
Navigation Go to website. Click on subject on
the left side of page. Click on a
lesson.
Tutorial http://tv411.org/teacher_resources/
Professional Development Tutorial
Classroom Use Have pencil & paper ready. Student
completes multimedia presentation
& activities. Tutors can help with
explanation & page navigation.
Advice from the Field Show students how to use tools,
calculator & dictionary links in upper
right of page. Document lessons
completed.
Resources 11-28 lessons per subject, Learning
Styles Inventory, Calculator &
Dictionary

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 USA Learns
Subjects Reading, Writing, & Speaking
English
Reading Level 1st English Course 2-3.9
2nd English Course 4-5.9
Practice English 6-7.9
Website USALearns.org
Appropriate Book Series Laubach, Challenger,
Breakthroughs
Navigation Go to website. In lower right
corner click “Teacher Registration.”
Click “Register Now” to create a
class. Print directions for students.
Tutorial Watch Introduction on home page,
plus tutorials for teachers after you
register.
Classroom Use Students complete lessons; tutor
monitors progress, grades writing,
communicates via email, phone or
in class.
Advice from the Field Teach students how to use in class
& monitor their work from home
or library. Can eat up bandwidth in
a computer lab.

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Interactive Online Resources
LEARN MORE: Directory of http://www.socialbrite.org/sharing-
Web 2.0 productivity tools center/web20-tools/
Resource Name Blogs
Website Blogger.com or WordPress.com
How to Interact Create a blog to post content like
assignments, announcements, essays.
Students can access from web &
comment on blog or email responses.
Resource Name Intel Thinking Tools
Website Intel.com/education/tools/index.htm
How to Interact Students develop critical thinking tools
through Visual Ranking, Seeing Reason &
Showing Evidence.
Resource Name Google Tools for Educators
Website Google.com/Educators/Tools.html
How to Interact Google Earth: maps using real satellite
photos. Google Calendar: organize
schedule & create events. Gmail: free
web-based email with spam blocks.
Resource Name Teacher Tube
Website TeacherTube.com
How to Interact Watch or upload video, audio, photos.

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 Supplemental Series
The series in these lists do not provide appropriate instruction for every
adult student & subject. To supplement these books, try the workbooks,
exercise books, CD-ROMs, and other accessories sold with the series. It
is also important to have several additional series that present the same
concepts and strategies in different ways and/or provide more practice.
Below is a preliminary listing of possible supplements (could be primary,
too):

Glencoe/McGraw Hill/Contemporary
Achieving TABE Success in Reading, Math, or Language
Number Power
Foundations
Voyager
Biology, Social Studies, American History

New Readers Press

Math Sense
GED Scoreboost
Endeavor Reading Series
Laubach Way to English
Short Lessons in US History
That’s Life

PBS
GED Connection
Pre-GED Connection
Workplace Essential Skills

Request samples, understand your student population, and create a

system that works for you.

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Glossary
GE: Grade Equivalency is an estimated academic performance
level based on the number correct (NC) score on standardized
assessment tests.
GED: General Educational Development is a nationally
recognized, standardized test taken for a high school
equivalency diploma. It is written by the American Council of
Education and administered by state Departments of Education.
ILP: Individual Learning Plan is the form in the student folder
where you track student contact info, goals, test scores, and
activities.
MSFTW: Math Skills for the Workforce.
NRS: National Reporting System is a set of performance levels
measured by standardized tests & the basis for government
funding reimbursement. 1 NRS level = 2 grade equivalents from
TABE.
TABE: Tests of Adult Basic Education are used nationally as a
standardized assessment for people ages 16 and older. It is used
by adult education classrooms, job training programs, and
employers.

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 Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 3
TABE Assessment.................................................................................................... 4
Individualized Learning Plan ................................................................................... 5
Assign Materials Based on TABE ............................................................................. 6
Reading ............................................................................................................... 6
Math.................................................................................................................... 7
Other Subjects ..................................................................................................... 8
Instructional Materials ........................................................................................... 8
Laubach Way to Reading ..................................................................................... 9
Challenger 2nd Edition ........................................................................................ 10
Challenger 2nd Edition Writing ........................................................................... 11
Contemporary’s Pre-GED Satellite ..................................................................... 12
Contemporary’s GED Satellite ........................................................................... 13
McGraw Hill Online Learning Center.................................................................. 14
Breakthroughs ................................................................................................... 15
Math Skills for the Workforce ............................................................................ 16
GED Connection Videos ..................................................................................... 17
LearningExpress Library ..................................................................................... 18
TV411 ................................................................................................................ 19
USA Learns ........................................................................................................ 20
Interactive Online Resources ............................................................................. 21
Supplemental Series ............................................................................................. 22
Glossary ................................................................................................................ 23

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